Friday, August 28, 2009

Well folks, today I busted out my loom. Yeah, I know it sounds impressive, but it's a vintage Spears Weaving Loom, Size 4. It is complete with instructions and all the pieces, save for a hex nut that I probably lost. This is archaic, even as rigid heddle looms are concerned. Circa 1954 to be exact, but hell, if people can weave with string and clay weights, there's no reason why I can't get this thing rigged up. Of course I'm using yarn for the weft that is WHOLLY UNSUITABLE, and I recommend anyone who stumbles into my unfinished, scatterbrained universerse to choose your weft wisely, but seeing as it came from the thrift shop and I have no idea what else to do with it, weft it is. It is a three ply laceweight cotton/wool blend. One ply is cotton, one ply is wool, and there is also a binder thread. The yarn catches on the loom like mad, but after setting it up, it shouldn't be a problem. My goal is a scarf for my dad. I've been wanting to make him one with handspun, but haven't found the right fiber. I wanted it to be lightweight, yet manly. We'll see what happens. I can guarantee it will be boring as fuck. But I believe it will turn out nicely. Stay tuned...

Well, I don't know if it is scarf material, but it sure is fabric. I'm so excited! There's actually about 9 inches of woven fabric wrapped around the front beam! Setting it up really is a pain in the ass, but was so worth it. When I'm finished with this, I'm going to try to weave some of my art yarns. The yarn I'm using is really really sticky. At first I thought I needed a large shed, but I've gotten used to it and can tell if there are stuck threads. So far, so good! Done with my first shuttle (oh god, I almost wrote bobbin! This is a whole new world for me!!!) Gonna wind up some more and work on it tomorrow. In the mean time, I started new projects, working on some in progress, abandoned others and am generally going crazy as usual. Pics to come :D

If anyone came here searching for instructions, someone has posted them here

1 comments:

Guess what? I used to live in New York! Not the City, but a bit up the Hudson, not very far from where everyone's favorite annual fiber-fest takes place, in fact . . . . and I was totally clueless, ARGH!

We moved from there when I was 15. Right before the depression really hit the area. We left about a year or two before IBM pulled back big time from that area, and they were half the jobs around there . . .

BAM, DEPRESSION, and I've heard things are only just get back on their feet around there. But that's up the river from you!

I'm a very beginning spinner. Sarebear on Ravelry, and only just signed up on Weavalution or whatever it's called last week, with one tiny Weave-it Square to my name. Same name there, too. Nothing's come off my Inkle yet, heh.

But I do go on! What i need is more fibre colored similarly to what I've got, so's i can ply it all together and THEN I can make what I've got in mind, that's why I've not gone farther.

That, and the wheel that spoke most to me in the shop, the one that treadled like a dream, is verruh verruh pricey. Even as wheels go. Heh, it figures. AND we are cramped for space, AND it's a Castle-style or is it Catherine . . . . but it was like it worked itself, practically!!!! As far as this noob could tell. Anyway.

I've gone on about as long as the yarn in my scarf, so I'll stop. I hope to see a pic of your weaving and stuff!

About Me

Hi! I'm Christina! Recently transplanted to North Carolina, I'm a sucker for all crafty stuff. Lately, my life has been taken over by gardening and sewing, but still spinning and knitting. I also love baking, cooking, preserving, wine-making, fermenting, you know how it goes ;D